Burning Summer in Seattle: Heat Dome 2021
- Yeonu Kim
- Aug 1
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 5
Summer 2021. School was out, COVID-19 restrictions were being lifted, and it was time for the beautiful Seattle summer weather I had waited for all year. I was so ready for summer. However, the summer kicked off with grueling 100+ degree days. Since it was too hot outside and could be dangerous, we stayed home. I was disappointed that I couldn’t spend lots of time outdoors like I was looking forward to, but I had to prioritize my safety and health. I was also shocked since Seattle usually has a mild summer, but it was scorching hot.
At first, I did not understand how the temperature could reach 100+ degrees in Seattle. As I watched the news, I learned that this intense heat was due to something called a “heat dome”, a high-pressure system that trapped hot air for an extended period. Seattle hit 100+ degrees for 3 days in a row from June 26th-28th, 2021. On June 26th, Sea-Tac set an all-time June record of 97 degrees, and by 5 pm, Seattle hit 102 degrees, the same as Tucson, Arizona. The temperature rose even higher to 104 degrees the next day. On June 28th, Seattle hit 108 degrees, which was the city’s highest temperature ever recorded.
Extreme weather events are exacerbated by climate change. For example, heat domes are affected by atmospheric blocking and worsened by climate change, which alters atmospheric circulation and causes more frequent and intense heat domes. It is also estimated that climate change made this heat dome event at least 150 times more likely. The earth warming by 2 degrees Celsius could lead to similar heat waves occurring every 5 to 10 years, according to an article by the University of Washington.
Not only is hot weather uncomfortable, but it can also be deadly. According to the Washington State Department of Health, 157 people died from heat-related causes during summer 2021 in Washington. Hundreds of people suffered from heat exhaustion, dehydration, and more. The elderly were especially heavily affected by the extreme heat: 47% of the heat-related deaths were in the age group of 65 to 79-year-olds. Many other people were also hit hard because many homes in Seattle do not have air conditioning, since we have not needed it until now. That means people cannot cool down by staying home, so many rely on public places.
This heat wave was an alarming event that showed the rapid global warming and the serious damage of climate change on people’s health. Climate change does not just harm our earth; it also harms our people.
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